Summer/Winter Skyline

A summer view from Kaw Point with a full moon.

A winter view from Paseo Boulevard. 

St. Johns Gone But Not Forgotten

Back in the 1880s St. John the Baptist Catholic Church was built roughly at Independence Boulevard and Paseo to serve the burgeoning population in Pendleton Heights. The Rectory was right next door to the west. St. John's was torn down in the 50s to make way for a car dealership and the parish was served from a new building east of this location at Garfield Avenue and Independence Boulevard. Above, a view of the rectory and the church... below just the church. Second shot down shows St. Johns' in relation to the Fountain Place Apartments.

Above, another shot of the rectory and, below, the interior of St. Johns showing the main altar..... very ornate.

Above, St. John's also had a school that I don't know the exact location of but was just west of Paseo.... the school was shared with Holy Rosary Church further west in Columbus Park.
Caption, "St. John's Church First May Crowning 1943." A big thank you to Father Michael Coleman, Archivist of the Diocese of St. Joseph Kansas City, and Virginia Collura who furnished these pictures. According to AnnaMarie Inzenga, long-time friend, the Church was right across the street from what used to be Scimecas and the Capri Motel.

Coming soon a new book from Pendleton Heights, "Then and Now".... showing early pictures of 82 sites in Pendleton and a picture of what is there now. Of course St. Johns' is included. I'll keep you posted.

After 110 Years, New Again

In 1899 George Kessler and John VanBrunt designed and had constructed the Ninth Street Fountain. It was at the entrance to the grand expanse of beautiful park construction down the center of Paseo Boulevard. The fountain quit working in the 1940s and despite several attempts to bring it back to life only this week was the redesigned fountain ready for service.

Now known as the "Women's Leadership Fountain" the north side of the fountain fronts on Ninth Street. This is the view looking south.



Illuminated by period lighting the fountain is even more elegant at night.


Looking northwest.


Looking north. The entrance to the Paseo Bridge (now closed for construction) is only three blocks from here.